It seems to have been the custom to hold a party for the missionaries before they left, usually presenting them with gifts or money collected from friends and relatives. Again, from the Deseret News we read, "Elder Thomas Harding, Jr. of South Morgan leaves tomorrow on a mission to Great Britain. A farewell party was tendered him last night and a purse raised to help him on the way."91 William Weisbrodt Francis was married when he was called on a mission to the Netherlands. His father Samuel wrote; "March 19,1897: Snowing and blowing all day. Weather was bad. . . .It was W. W.'s benefit party this evening. It was not well attended. He received $14.00 from receipts of party to help him on his mission. All our family attended except myself and mother." Samuel's wife was ill. At the time, W. W. Francis had been married for ten years and had several children. Samuel was undoubtedly concerned for them when he wrote: "When W. W. went to Salt Lake to be set apart for his mission, he had not been gone more than an hourwhen one of his cows was found dead in acrib in the corral." The very next day W. W. sent a telegram from Salt Lake to his family saying he would have to leave by morning train for Holland. Apparently this was not anticipated because Samuel went right over to W. W.'s home to help his wife pack for his mission. Samuel's wife, Esther, was still not well, and was unable to help. Samuel wrote: "Saturday, March 27, 1897: 28 above zero, fair. My son, W. W., bid us goodbye this morning and left home for a mission to Holland in Europe. He left in good spirits. God will go with you, my son, and bless and protect you and keep you faithful and you shall return to your family in good health, thus saith the spirit."92 W. W. Francis served for three years in the Netherlands. James Tucker, a lifelong friend of President Fry, received a mission call to England when he was almost fifty-eight years old. Brother Tucker and his wife had crossed the ocean from Liverpool, England, in I860, as newlyweds. With them were Richard and Ann Fry, also newlyweds. Together they had crossed the plains to come to Utah, and together they had lived as neighbors' inMorganformanyyears.93JamesTuckerwrote; "InApril, 1894,1 rented my business (Firm of Tucker and Tonks Shoe Store) and responded to a call to perform a mission to England. I received a very honorable release and returning home found my business in much worse shape than I left it. After working years paying off my debts and suffering loss from thieves, I finally sold all my store, also my interests in the Morgan ZCMI."94 Missionaries from Morgan Stake during the presidency of Richard Fry were sent to Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Indian Territory, Great Britain, Netherlands, Australia, and the Northern and Eastern States Missions. But, more than any other place, missionaries were called to the southern states. Following are a few experiences reported from that mission: Patriarch Martin Heiner gave a patriarchal blessing to ayoung man named Joseph Coulam. Joseph was the brother of Martin Heiner's daughter-in-law, Sarah Jane Coulam Heiner, wife of Daniel. In the blessing, Patriarch Heiner 69